What Makes A Man
by broadwaybaby2010
Summary: The night Kerchak charges at Jane and Porter, Jane decides to return to the nesting grounds to make sure Tarzan is okay after his fight with Kerchak in her defense. Porter insists Clayton accompany her through the jungle to ensure a safe journey. But Clayton is tired of Jane's focus (and assumed affections) going to Tarzan and he plans to take what he sees as rightfully his.


**_A/N: Hello everyone! This story is based on the order of events in_ Tarzan the stage musical _, so please forgive me if you are a movie fan and something feels a bit off. In the musical, I think there is a very understated show of desire for Jane from Clayton, but Clayton also isn't the type to not go to any lengths to get what he wants. As if we needed more of a reason to hate him, here are my thoughts on a pretty plausible series of events that may have fallen during the timeframe of "Everything That I Am," the night before Jane finds out that the ship has arrived to take the humans back to England. I hope you enjoy hating Clayton as much as he makes my skin crawl!_**

 ** _Here is the obligatory "I don't own the original story, the characters, the musical, the movie, or anything else associated with Tarzan other than the original writing in this story" message. I did borrow just a few words from "You'll Be In My Heart (Reprise)." I don't own those either and no copyright infringement is intended. I borrowed them to give context to the timeline and to show the emotion between the characters that was already present in the original. Also, please note my TRIGGER WARNING! (This isn't as explicit as some of my other stories, but it's still very clear what happens and could be disturbing to some.)  
_**

 ** _Without further ado, here is…._**

 **What Makes A Man**

The night that Clayton left the Porters at the nesting grounds, Clayton returned to camp fuming. How could she still be so infatuated with that….ape man? Didn't she want a _real_ man? What, did she think she was too good for him with her proper English ways and…. education? No, Clayton would not stand for it. He cared for her and this expedition was supposed to bring him everything he desired – money and Jane. Currently, he had none of those things, but he wasn't about to give up. If Clayton was anything, he was stubborn.

It was just then that he heard the Professor and Jane running through the brush back to camp. Clayton ducked his head as he exited his tent, his tall stature and muscular build taking over the majority of the space when he was inside. He appeared just as Jane helped her father into a chair at the table and handed him a canteen with fresh water.

"Miss Porter, Professor! Are you trying to lead every wild creature in this jungle to our camp site? With how loud of an entrance you just made, I'm surprised every man-eater within a mile radius isn't knocking at our tent flaps."

"We're just fine, Mr. Clayton, thank you," Jane remarked sourly, making sure her elderly father's breathing was returning to a normal rate after their frantic run to safety.

"What happened out there?" Clayton asked, trying not to have too pompous a tone. He knew condescension would get him nowhere with Jane, but he had to fight to urge to say that he had told them so.

"A silverback…protecting his family group," Professor Porter panted, partially from the run back to camp and partially from his excitement at witnessing such behavior.

"From what?"

"From… us." Professor Porter then took Jane's hand. "My dear, if the leader of Tarzan's tribe sees us as a threat, I'm not sure how we can get much more research done in that particular band of gorillas." There was a clear hint of sadness in his voice at the prospect of having to abandon their research with Tarzan's family. But Kerchak hadn't seemed the type to really warm up to the scientists, not when he had charged them like he had. Thank god for Tarzan's reflexes and instinct to protect them.

"Wait. You were attacked?!" Clayton exclaimed, finally catching on.

Jane stood from her crouched position in front of her father, taking a stern stance to stand up to Clayton. "Tarzan protected us. He fought the leader of his own band to make sure we could get to safety," she told him defiantly, defending Tarzan from his biggest critic.

Clayton's jaw clenched and his free hand formed a fist so tight, his knuckles turned white from the force behind his grasp. "Of course he did…."

"I just hope he's okay…." Jane said softly, voicing the concern she had had in her head since her father had made her run from the nesting grounds. "I couldn't bare it if I was the reason something happened to him…"

Jane then felt her father's wrinkled hand grip onto hers. "My dear, we have seen that gorillas truly do live in family groups. If that's the case, apes wouldn't be the type to hurt members of their own band."

"I don't know, Daddy. I had met Tarzan's mother, but he never even mentioned a father. Maybe the silverback doesn't like Tarzan…."

"Now, Janey, don't jump to conclusions –"

"Daddy, I just…I have to know. I have to go back and find him."

"Miss Porter! You can't be suggesting you venture out into the jungle by yourself at this time of day?! The sun will be setting any minute," Clayton protested. He saw an opportunity to "comfort" Jane at camp that night and he wasn't about to lose it to her whims of adventuring in the jungle.

"My dear, perhaps Mr. Clayton is right. I will not lose you to the mysteries of the jungle! Tarzan knows where to find you."

"Daddy, if he's hurt, I have to help him! If he's hurt, he may not be able to get to our camp. Please…."

Professor Porter grabbed onto Jane's arm to help himself to his feet and looked up into his daughter's eyes to find sincere desperation staring back at him. He saw the tears welling up and her fight to keep them from falling. "Alright," the Professor acquiesced. He couldn't tell his little girl no, not when Tarzan obviously meant so much to her.

"Thank you, Daddy," Jane exclaimed exuberantly, pulling her father into a tight hug.

"Professor, you can't be serious!" Clayton protested with venom in his voice.

"Quite serious, Mr. Clayton. I am also serious in my request for you to escort my daughter back to the nesting grounds and to leave peacefully once she is safe within Tarzan's company."

Clayton was about to respond with vitriol at the mention of Tarzan, but he stopped himself before he spoke. "Of course," was all he said, a half smile, half smirk appearing on his face.

"Really, Daddy, I'm fine. I know the way. I've been there practically every day since Tarzan took me to meet his mother. I'm quite fine on my own," Jane was a bit frantic and rambling. She didn't really like the idea of being alone with Clayton nor the idea of his return to Tarzan's home.

"But not at night, my dear. Mr. Clayton will only ensure your safety on the journey back to the band and I trust that Tarzan will return you safely."

Jane let out a small sigh of frustration. "Alright, Daddy. And you're right. Tarzan will make sure I'm protected; he showed us that today." Clayton could barely take it. All she could talk about was Tarzan, even after everything Clayton had done for her and her father. The thought of Jane, _his_ Jane, with that ape wannabe made bile rise in his throat. Jane needed a man, a real man. And Clayton was all man. "Alright, Mr. Clayton. When do we leave?" Jane's voice floated through the air, snapping Clayton back into reality.

"I'll gather my supplies and we'll head out," he explained with a slight bow to excuse himself from the Porters. Clayton then moved to the supply tent, gathering his rifle with ammunition and lighting a lantern. He also made sure his hunting knife was securely fastened to his belt before straightening his kerchief, brushing himself off, and checking his hair in the small mirror hanging on the tent post. Looking in the mirror, he spoke to himself under his breath. "So, Ms. Porter, you think Tarzan can keep you safe? Think Tarzan is the kind of man you need? Well, I'll just have to show you what a real man is like when a predator threatens what rightfully should belong to him." Jaw clenched, he returned to the center of camp to find Jane for their trek back through the jungle.

"Daddy, be sure to rest now. Don't stay up worrying about me. I'll be with Tarzan," she assured her father, packing a small satchel with bandages and witch hazel to treat Tarzan's potential wounds.

"I know, dear, but you can't blame an old man for worrying about his daughter. I'll feel much better once Mr. Clayton returns to camp after your safe delivery to Tarzan's nest. Then, perhaps, some rest."

Jane gave her father a small smile and a peck on the top of his forehead as Clayton cleared his throat to get her attention. "Come, Miss Porter. We should use the little daylight we have left to our advantage."

"Of course," Jane acknowledged with a sigh, gathering her own canteen and satchel of supplies and following Clayton back out through the trees.

It was a bit of a journey to get back to Tarzan's home – thus Jane's propensity to be late for afternoon tea lately – but it felt even longer to be taking it with Clayton, one whom she had nothing in common. Conversations with him nearly made her boil over in anger at his disrespect of her family and their mission in Africa. But once the sun had set and the jungle grew cold, the silence bore down on them and Jane shivered, a slight weakness that Clayton had been watching for out of the corner of his eye. "Miss Porter, cold, are you?"

"Just a slight chill, Mr. Clayton. Nothing to be concerned about. I am sure Tarzan will help keep me warm as soon as I arrive."

Jane had meant it to show Tarzan's protection of her, to get Clayton to leave her be about her "infatuation" with the "ape man," to show him that Tarzan was more human than Clayton would like to believe. But the image of Tarzan wrapping his body around _his_ Jane nearly made him wretch. "Oh, is that so? And is that what he's been doing all these days you've been away from camp – keeping you warm?" There was venom in Clayton's tone, almost accusatory.

Jane halted, barely able to move from the shock of his accusation. "What exactly are you accusing me of, Mr. Clayton? What exactly is it that you think Tarzan has done? Because, I assure you, I have been studying him in his natural habitat, and I will not stand for -"

"Studying him? That's for damn sure!" Clayton turned sharply around to face the obstinate young woman, setting the lantern on the ground, casting a pale glow on the trees around them. "Studying his… anatomy. Drawing your own sordid pictures to remind yourself of such later. Come, Miss Porter. Drop the charade."

"Mr. Clayton," Jane snapped indigently, "While I apparently must overlook your invasion of my person items and research, such research is how I would study any subject. Just because Tarzan happens to be a man, that does not exclude him from -"

"A man?" Clayton hissed, taking slow steady steps toward the proper young woman who stood her ground, looking him straight in the eye, her teeth clenched. "You need to experience a real man if you think that gorilla-wanna-be is anything close to resembling a man."

He was so close to Jane now that she could see the sweat on his brow and feel his hot, rank breath on her skin. "Mr. Clayton, it is not proper for you to be so close to a lady. Please give me room," Jane ordered, her jaw clenched, but her heart racing. She didn't trust Clayton, but now his anger verged on frightening her. Not that she was going to let him see that in her, but she suddenly felt very aware that they were not near enough to either camp or the nesting grounds of Tarzan's band for her to safely call for help.

"Come now, Miss Porter," Clayton breathily, advancing on the young woman more, forcing Jane to step backward to avoid him, "Are you telling me that you still consider yourself a "lady"? With what you and that ape man have been doing?" Clayton continued his advance.

Jane was losing her power, her voice falling softer as her fear began winning over her stubbornness. "Mr. Clayton, whatever you think I have done with Tarzan, I assure you that you are wrong."

"Oh, am I? Then what is a young lady like you doing waking at night and imaging a 'man' there with you?" Jane blushed. She had let slip such things to her father as she tried to explain how marvelous Tarzan was, but she didn't realize they had been observed in their conversation. Clayton saw the shock in her eyes and took advantage. "That ape man can offer you nothing, Jane," Clayton cooed at her, still advancing, Jane retreating. "I can offer everything a _real_ man can."

Jane had been backed up so far that her back hit the rough bark of a large tree trunk, Clayton's body pressing up against hers. Jane felt sick as she felt the arousal behind his zipper pressed into the bottom of her stomach. She swallowed back the bile gurgling in the back of her throat. "Clayton, please,"' she said, fighting to keep the begging tone from her voice and failing in her fight, "Return to camp and let me be."

"Ah, I can't do that, Jane," Clayton dismissed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear with his rough, dirty fingers. Jane gulped, trying desperately to keep herself breathing. Clayton took his rifle off his shoulder and leaned it against the side of the tree they were pressed against which meant his arm wrapped around Jane in the process. She shrugged his arm off of her shoulder. "Oh, come now, Jane. Don't be like that," he whispered to her, placing his hand on her shoulder and sliding it downward to her waist.

Jane looked frantically around her surroundings. She knew there was no one there to help. She had gotten lucky to have met Tarzan when she was attacked by a wild creature, but there was little to no hope of a marvelous rescue at night. She was on her own with the hulking man towering over her, pressing his sweaty body against hers.

Clayton's hand traveled further down Jane's body, gripping her thigh roughly and lifting it off the ground. Jane fought to pull it back. "Mr. Clayton, unhand me! Let go!" she protested, but she couldn't break free of his firm grip. With her leg up at his waist, he leaned slightly closer, pressing his pelvis against where her womanhood lie beneath her skirt.

Jane could feel her breathing breaking, unable to take in a full breath. She could feel the tears welling in her eyes that she fought to keep from falling. Clayton smirked. "What, Jane? Don't think you can handle a full-fledged man. See, _this_ ," he punctuated the word with a thrust of his hips, "is what a real man feels like."

Tears obstructed Jane's vision as she pushed hard at Clayton's chest, trying to put distance between their bodies. Against her leg that was still planted on the ground, she felt something sharp poke her. Her eyes darted to the knife at Clayton's waist and Jane knew it was her only chance to escape. She made a grab for it, ripping it from its sheath. Clayton released her leg in his surprise and caught her wrist as she fought to bring the blade down to make contact anywhere she could reach on Clayton's body. He gave a small chuckle that made the anger flourish more strongly within Jane. "I didn't think you had it in you. I like a feisty one," Clayton told her, his eyes glinting in the dim light of the lantern. He licked his lips as he stared down at her, her hand holding the knife pinned against the tree, the bark scratching at the exposed skin on her arm. Jane fought with every bit of energy she could find within her, but his grip was too strong, his build too muscular. She had to catch him off guard, but her strength was wearing fast and she knew that he would soon overpower her.

Clayton leaned down to whisper in her ear, the material of his ascot, the only thing soft about Clayton, brushing against Jane's neck. "Where's your Tarzan now?" he spat out. Jane's anger had reached its boiling point as she grabbed the ascot at the back of Clayton's neck with her free hand and yanked backwards. Clayton stumbled back a step or two and released his hold on Jane as he scratched at the ascot, trying desperately to pull it away from his throat and restore his air supply. Jane knew she couldn't hold him forever, but as his eyes bulged with air deprivation, he twisted his body, yanking her wrist at an odd angle and forcing her grip free as she let out a cry of pain. The connection broken, she tried to run, but Clayton managed to grab the back of her blouse and pull her backwards to the ground. Jane landed hard on the sharp underbrush and Clayton got to his knees still panting for air, straddling Jane's hips, pinning her in place. He leaned forward toward her and she swiped at his face with the knife still in her hand, slashing through his shirt, but landing nothing more. But as Jane prepped to swing it again, Clayton caught her arm and twisted it under, making it impossible for her to get any leverage. He grabbed the knife with his other hand, pinned her arm above her head, and held the knife to her throat, his heavy body pressing down on her so she was barely able to breathe. "Did your ape man teach you that?" Clayton grunted, still gasping for air.

With all the venom Jane had left in her, her answer was to spit in Clayton's face.

She instantly regretted it.

"Apparently you have been in the jungle too long. You've forgotten your manners," Clayton demanded, taking the knife from her throat and cutting a large slit in the fabric of her skirt, exposing her bloomers. Jane tried to kick herself free, to kick him, but he had her pinned, her dominate arm above her head and her thighs beneath him. "You need a real man to teach you a lesson!" he barked, yanking her bloomers off of her hips and getting them to her knees. Jane couldn't hold back her sobs, tears streaming from her tightly shut eyes. Then she felt his rough, calloused hand touch her intimate skin.

x

Tarzan looked at Kala… at his mother. She was clearly wounded by Tarzan's desperate need to know the human world. And yet, at the same time, she couldn't blame him. She had hidden so much from him for all these years. Why wouldn't he feel the need to leave her to go be with his kind?

Tarzan saw the hurt in Kala's eyes and nuzzled up against her, giving her a sort of hug. "You'll be in my heart….always…." Tarzan whispered to her.

"Always," Kala confirmed, a tear escaping, soaking the fur just under her eyes. Tarzan started to move away from her, but then suddenly rushed back to her, holding her in a tight embrace. Kala couldn't help but smile. Her little one was now a Man. She savored the hug before pulling away, motioning her head away from the nesting grounds. If Tarzan was going to go see Jane, it was better he do it at night when Kerchak was much less likely to notice his absence. Tarzan gave his mother a small smile before climbing a nearby vine and swinging off in the direction of the humans' camp.

x

Jane could practically feel the dirt from Clayton's hand seeping into every intimate inch of her body that Clayton was now desecrating with his touch. "Ah, what a sweet, soft thing you are, even after all of your jungle exploits," he sickeningly cooed in her ear, the vile stench of his breath and sweat floating into her nostrils making her feel the bile gargle up in her stomach. She could hear the rattle of his belt as he undid it with his other hand. Her eyes burned from the tears forcing their way out even though her eyes were squinted shut, hoping against hope that she could make him disappear if only she thought hard enough. She wanted to be anywhere but there as she felt the material of her bloomers being yanked further down her legs to gather around her ankles and Clayton's body shifting so his heavily muscled torso took away her heaving breaths as it crushed her beneath its weight.

"Clayton, please, don -"

But Clayton wasn't about to listen to her pleas. With his mouth next to his ear, he cut her off with a disturbing whisper, "Now, now, Miss Porter. No need to beg. See, I've tried to woo you our whole voyage. I've been your protector and you've paid me no mind. Well, not any more. I'm going to make sure that you can't forget me." And with that, his knees pressed between her thighs, positioning him just right to plunge deep inside of her without pause or a touch of tenderness.

x

Tarzan soared through the trees, knowing his path toward the Porters's camp almost better than any other trek in his jungle. But as he reached a particularly thick area of trees, he caught sight of a small light casting shadows across the distant jungle floor. Nimbly, Tarzan lit on a nearby branch before shimming down to a lower level of the tree. He could see a large figure seemingly heaving against the ground, grunting. Tarzan cocked his head to the side in confusion. What was this figure? He swung even lower, hiding behind the thick tree trunk for cover. The sounds were more distinct now - the sounds of mating. While Kala had done her best to keep such things from Tarzan due to how different he was from the rest of the band, he had accidently come upon more than enough instances of mating. As he dared to peak around the trunk, he finally saw what that mating figure truly was. Clayton. Tarzan nearly started to climb back up the tree to continue his path to Jane when he heard it. The soft sobs and straining voice of Jane - his Jane. "Mr. Clayton, please… please! Stop!" Tarzan felt an odd sensation in his gut, as if it were turning flips. And then there was the clenching feeling… but that wasn't in his gut. That was his fist, his knuckles turning bright white. He could feel his heartbeat in his ears and then all he heard was Jane. "OW!" she cried and Tarzan felt a feeling that hadn't resurged since the day he killed the leopard to protect his family. Jane was hurt. Clayton was the leopard.

Tarzan wrapped his limbs around the trunk of the tree and slid down from his perch before bounding toward Clayton. The attacker's head snapped up and saw Tarzan coming, but Tarzan's nimble body moved too quickly for the hulking man and he was hit head on as Tarzan's body collided with him at a full force run. Tarzan raised a fist above his head and brought it down in a crushing swing against Clayton's nose, blood spurting from his face and covering the leaves around them. Clayton fought for the upper hand, but with his trousers around his calves, he was effectively restrained. And no matter how he fought, his muscles were no match for the adrenaline flowing through Tarzan's body. Tarzan landed a second swing against Clayton's cheek and Clayton growled, finally able to pull his arms free and catch Tarzan's muscular forearms.

Clayton's face was staining red as the blood continued to flow from his nose and his cheek began turning bright purple, but it didn't seem to faze the monster Tarzan had pinned to the ground. "Clayton. Hurt. Jane." Tarzan forced out angrily, his knee connecting with Clayton's side, earning him the sound of the wind getting knocked out of Clayton's lung.

"She deserved to experience a real man," Clayton growled at his attacker.

"No one hurt Jane," Tarzan threatened, his eyes glowing in the distant lantern light. In one swift move, he twisted an arm free of Clayton's grasp and his hand shot to Clayton's throat.

There was a sickening sound of a gasp for air as Tarzan kept his grip tight. Clayton's body thrashed, his legs kicked, but without air, he had no power. "F-fine," Clayton hissed out.

Tarzan tentatively released his hold and got to his feet, standing at his full height just as Jane had taught him. His feet were on either side of Clayton's knees, and he stared down at the bleeding hulk with disdain. "Clayton. Go." Clayton clumsily slid his body up into a seated position, the lower half of his body still partially bare. He wiped the back of his hand across his nose, trying to clear a bit of the blood that was dripping from his face. But his eyes never left Tarzan's. His jaw clenched. But as soon as he dared to dart his eyes toward Jane, Tarzan roared into his face, "GO!"

Clayton scrambled to his feet, pulling his trousers up to allow himself the mobility to frantically grab his gun and take off at a run back towards camp vowing internally to get vengeance.

Behind Tarzan, Jane gingerly got to her feet, trying to brush off the leaves and dirt now embedding in the material of her tattered skirt. She couldn't bring herself to look at her rescuer. She felt shame that he would see her like this, bruised and beaten inside and out. She heard the leaves rustle as Tarzan slowly approached her. "Jane okay?" Tarzan asked gently.

Jane took a deep breath and shut her eyes tight, trying desperately to make her voice work. "I…I don't know, Tarzan."

"Jane want baby?" Tarzan asked, a touch of hurt and confusion in his voice.

Jane thought she might be sick. "W-What?"

"Jane mate with Clayton. Jane want baby?" It pained Tarzan to think of Jane mating with anyone but him, but he knew that, while he may come from the same world as Jane and Clayton, he would never be like the man Clayton is.

Tears rolled down Jane's cheeks as she gently fell to her knees in front of Tarzan. Of course he wouldn't understand. Gorillas had more humanity than humans like Clayton. Tarzan reached and brushed the wet trails from Jane's face with his thumb. "N-no, Tarzan. I don't want a baby. Clayton…." How was she supposed to explain this to him? "Clayton…. Wanted to mate. I didn't want to."

"Why Clayton mate with Jane then?"

Jane took another deep breath, trying desperately to steady her breathing, to keep calm. "Because…. Because Clayton is a bad man, Tarzan. He…he was mad I didn't want to mate. So, he….he hurt me."

Tarzan reached out and took Jane's arm into his hands, gently running his fingers down the scratches and cuts from the tree bark, some of which were still bleeding. "Jane wait here. Tarzan come back." Jane really didn't want to be left alone in the jungle, not after what had happened, but Tarzan was off into the trees before she could protest. Jane kept her back to a nearby tree, feeling protection in not being completely exposed. At least nothing and no one could sneak up behind her this way. Not long after, Tarzan returned, small plant leaves and some soft moss clutched in his hand. Tarzan stood, coming up to Jane's level. Their eyes met and Jane could see that Tarzan was worried about her. Without a word, Tarzan took Jane's arm again, breaking the leaves in his hand and smearing the gel-like liquid over her cuts. He then wrapped the moss around her arm, tying small vines around it to keep it in place. Jane inwardly chuckled. She was worried about packing antiseptic and bandages to help Tarzan when the jungle offered all the medical supplies he truly needed. "Bet-ter?" Tarzan asked gently. Jane gave him a small, meek smile and nodded. "Jane come with Tarzan. Tarzan keep Jane safe."

Jane resisted Tarzan's pull on her hand. "Tarzan, your…your leader didn't seem to want me near your family."

Tarzan furrowed his eyebrows. "Lead-er?" he spoke slowly, working on the new syllables.

"Your… father?" she asked, unsure of how else to explain.

Tarzan's jaw tightened. "Kerchak."

"Yes, Kerchak. I don't want you hurt."

"But Jane hurt. Tarzan protect Jane. Tarzan make nest in higher tree. Kerchak not see Jane." He gently offered his hand to her. Jane turned and blew out the flame of the lantern before gingerly taking his hand. Tarzan then scooped her up into his arms and up into the safety of the trees.

Tarzan made his way back to the nesting grounds, finding a tree that was higher than Kerchak's nest and just slightly removed from the group. He gathered the limbs and vines just so and layered out extra leaves, making a sort of hammock, presumably for the two of them to share. Jane, still sore from Clayton's attack, moved carefully into the hanging shelter. Tarzan saw to it that Jane was comfortable before he curled up with his back against the trunk of the tree, his feet outstretched on the branch above the hammock. Jane looked up at Tarzan confused. "Tarzan? Aren't you going to bed… I mean, aren't you going to nest, too?"

"Tarzan nest here. Jane need rest." Jane couldn't keep the tears from falling down onto her cheeks. Tarzan saw this and silently slid down a vine into the hammock with Jane, wiping the wet trails away. "Jane not like nest?" Tarzan asked, not understanding.

Jane choked back her sobs as best she could. "No, no, Tarzan. It's lovely. You're just… very nice to me." Finding the words for how Tarzan's tender care made her feel weren't easy, let alone finding words he would understand. Tarzan's head turned to the side, looking at her questioningly, not quite understanding. Jane tried again. "Tarzan treat Jane like mate, like family."

Despite the darkness, Jane could have sworn she saw Tarzan blush slightly when she said the word 'mate.' "Tarzan…. Like…. Jane…." Tarzan admitted, hoping the words he formed were the ones that would tell Jane how he felt.

Jane's heart skipped a beat before she could form her response. "Jane like Tarzan, too." In Tarzan's excitement, he grunted, bouncing in his usual, ape-like way. Jane giggled at how boyish it seemed for the man who could protect her so definitively. "Tarzan stay with Jane? Tarzan protect Jane?" Jane asked quietly, a bit shyly.

"Tarzan protect Jane," Tarzan confirmed, laying his body down and taking her into his arms in the hanging nest he had built for them. The stars twinkled above them as if nothing had changed, but Jane knew everything had changed for her that night. It was in that moment that she knew she had found the best man she had ever or could ever hope to meet. Because it wasn't the civilization that made the man but the size of his heart.

And Tarzan would be in her heart always.

Even if the ship to take her back home to England arrived the next morning… which it did.


End file.
